Veterans Affairs Healthcare Professionals in Texas Vote Overwhelmingly to Join the IAM

Fifty healthcare professionals from Overton Brooks Department of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center outpatient clinic in Longview, TX recently voted overwhelmingly to join the IAM. The successful campaign was the third and final piece of an organizing project for Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCS).

The CBOCS project, which began last year for more than 150 healthcare professionals, also successfully organized groups in Texarkana, TX and Monroe, LA. The three CBOCS service more than 462,000 veterans annually.

“I am appreciative that we were able to guide and educate this group of healthcare Professionals to their goal of unionizing,” said IAM Grand Lodge Representative Juan Eldridge, lead organizer on the campaign. “They were ready to gain our representation, grievance procedure and supplemental benefits as well as the protections from working under our master contract agreement that we already have in place with the Shreveport, Louisiana Medical Center.”

“I want to welcome our newest healthcare members into the IAM and thank them for their unrelenting support throughout the process,” said IAM Organizing Director Vinny Addeo“I thank Grand Lodge Representative Juan Eldridge for leading this campaign, Special Representative Chris Casteel for his assistance and all the Organizing Department staff for bringing this campaign to fruition. The CBOCS Organizing Project was for three locations and took time and resources, but our department never wavered in its conviction to help these workers form a union with the Machinists.”

This group of healthcare professionals, covering more than 10 counties in East Texas, includes doctors, registered nurses, pharmacists, audiologists, licensed professional counselors and licensed social workers.

The post Veterans Affairs Healthcare Professionals in Texas Vote Overwhelmingly to Join the IAM appeared first on IAMAW.

IAM Wins Backpay and Dignity for Employees of Strategic Technology Institute (STI)

After a legal fight that lasted more than two years, the Machinists Union is proud that a group of former employees from Strategic Technology Institute (STI) will receive full back pay with interest and benefits after being unjustly fired for trying to join the IAM.

The decision comes from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Something didn’t make sense in 2019 when 17 aircraft maintenance employees working for STI at the Little Rock Arkansas Air Force Base were fired over a span of just a few weeks. This group of Service Contract Act (SCA) workers were hired as part of a government contract and maintained the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules for the U.S. Air Force. All were discharged for poor performance according to the company, even though there was no record of that being the case.

The workers and the IAM felt the real reason for the mass firing was because the group was trying to join the Machinists Union. So the IAM filed charges with the NLRB on behalf of the group.

Two years later, a judge agreed that the workers were unjustly fired for trying to form a union and they deserved compensation for being discriminated against.

Finally, justice prevailed. The decision requires that each employee should receive full back pay with interest and benefits, but more importantly to these workers, the ruling clears their names and gives them back their dignity.

“After serving in the U.S. Military, it makes sense that many of our veterans find SCA jobs as a way to further to serve this country as a civilian,” said IAM Southern Territory Grand Lodge Representative Ramon Garcia. “As a veteran myself, I know the pride that comes with working in the SCA world. This employer thought they could bully these patriots, but they stood strong and proud. And even though this group was never able to become full-fledged Machinists Union members because they were fired during the organizing drive, they told me they couldn’t believe the fight the IAM put up for them.”  

Minus the cost of taxes, these workers will receive full compensation and benefits, as well as any search-for-work or interim employment expenses they acquired while looking for a new job.

But this win is bittersweet. Good for the STI employees who will be made whole again, but bad because it highlights our labor law system that isn’t working for American workers. Two years is too long for justice to be served.

“This is a huge win for these workers, but it also stands as a startling example of why the current labor laws are ineffective and outdated,” said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Rickey Wallace. “Justice delayed for this long is not justice served. And it happens all the time with companies using the judicial system to delay proceedings for as long as possible. It’s especially harmful when this happens during an organizing campaign because often the employee is unable to return to the job after so long, for a variety of reasons.”

But while the Machinists Union continues to work to change labor laws that hurt workers, our union family is taking a moment to celebrate this win for the STI employees who were unjustly fired. Their determination and solidarity to see this to the end remind us all that when one worker wins, we all win.

The post IAM Wins Backpay and Dignity for Employees of Strategic Technology Institute (STI) appeared first on IAMAW.

Georgia Local 625 Discusses Railroad Issues with Congressman

Representatives of Local 625 and District 19 recently held a meeting to discuss issues at CSX with U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter. The idea of this meeting came from Vice President and Local Chairman Pete Gibson at the recent Georgia State Council meeting.

Issues discussed included Precision Scheduled Railroading, forced overtime, excessive discipline and the COVID-19 vaccines.

“At no time in history has it been more apparent that we need to make our voices heard in the political arena than now,” said Gibson.

An in depth discussion about the effects of Precision Scheduled Railroading gave Rep. Carter a chance to understand what our members have been dealing with. Members also had a discussion about a possible vaccine mandate at CSX.

“This was a good opportunity to get our issues out there so that we can find ways to remedy them,” said District 19 Assistant to the President / Directing General Chairman Andrew Sandberg. “It doesn’t matter which side of the isle our Representatives are on, we need to get them involved in our hometowns when possible in an effort to improve conditions for our members. No one can explain our position better than we can and we cannot expect that anyone else will.”

“Engaging elected officials at every level is one of the most vital things we can do,” said Richard Johnsen, IAM Chief of Staff to the International President. “Not just at the federal level, but state and local as well, so that the issues important to our members and their families are understood, and their rights are protected.”

“This demonstrates the important work being done at our Machinists State Councils,” said IAM Transportation Coordinator Edison Fraser. “Without the work of our political arm, this meeting likely wouldn’t have taken place. We are very grateful to Local 625 and District 19 for all they do on behalf of our railroad membership.”

The post Georgia Local 625 Discusses Railroad Issues with Congressman appeared first on IAMAW.

GVP Allen Swears in Officers of Local Lodge 63

GVP Allen Swears in Officers of Local Lodge 63

Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen was recently on hand to swear in the incoming officers of Local Lodge 63 in Portland, Oregon.

There were many notable moments regarding this transition of Local Lodge officers.  Former President John Kleiboeker chose not to run for re-election to make way for a younger and more diverse leadership.  Brother Kleiboeker had been mentoring newly elected President Jessica Deming both on the job and at the Local. Brother Kleiboeker has always made sure that the future of the IAM is reflective of the membership and will be an honor to their 133-year history. Sister Deming has been active in the Young Machinists, Women’s Committee, and an Executive Board member, just to name a few. Sister Deming is excited to see where Local Lodge 63 will be in the next three years and beyond, “We have an amazing legacy to uphold and we want to build on that in the future.”

Incoming Secretary-Treasurer Kristy Nguyen was elected as the first Vietnamese S/T of Local Lodge 63 and made the decision to run and get involved in an effort to encourage more involvement from the Vietnamese community.  Newly elected Vice President, Eric Bitney shared that he was moved to get involved to ensure that our sisters are treated with dignity and respect

The Young Apprentices of Local Lodge 63 also graciously presented challenge coins made by member Chris Carn to honor the outgoing officers.

“I am moved by the commitment to diversity in leadership by Local Lodge 63 and look forward to the great work that the Local will accomplish together,” said General Vice President Allen. “The new compliment of officers has the full support of the Western Territory.”

The new officers include President Jessica Demming, Vice President Eric Bitney, Secretary-Treasurer Kristy Nguyen, Recording Secretary Beth Lacey, Conductor Sentinel Scott Lacey, and Trustees Kerry Young, Greg Demars, and John Kleiboeker.

if(window.SUImageCarousel){setTimeout(function() {window.SUImageCarousel.initGallery(document.getElementById(“su_image_carousel_61df9c595e310”))}, 0);}var su_image_carousel_61df9c595e310_script=document.getElementById(“su_image_carousel_61df9c595e310_script”);if(su_image_carousel_61df9c595e310_script){su_image_carousel_61df9c595e310_script.parentNode.removeChild(su_image_carousel_61df9c595e310_script);}

The post GVP Allen Swears in Officers of Local Lodge 63 appeared first on IAMAW.

Milwaukee Carmen School of Science and Technology Educators On the Path to the IAM

They are doing it for their students. That’s the sentiment that brought a group of nearly 200 dedicated teachers, social workers, and specialists from Milwaukee’s Carmen School of Science and Technology to announce their intent to organize with IAM District 10.

“The biggest detriment to our students is the high turnover of teachers,” said Alexis Garcia, a Social Studies teacher at Carmen High School of Science and Technology Northwest. “When teachers are valued and supported, it creates consistency for students and creates classrooms where both students and teachers can thrive. The pandemic only exacerbated the problem and if Carmen truly wants to follow its mission, they need to do right by their teachers.”

            Want to show your support?  Sign the petition here:

https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/support-neutrality-for-carmen-workers-collective]

Carmen Schools of Science and Technology are a network of charter schools with five campuses ranging from elementary to high school.  According to their organizing campaign website, better working conditions will allow this group to provide the best educational experience for their students, creating an environment of growth that will be beneficial to all. It will also allow these educators to further protect those underrepresented on staff and in the classroom.

“These educators should only have to worry about taking care of their students’ education and nothing else,” said IAM District 10 Directing Business Representative Alex Hoekstra. “A union contract will do that. It speaks volumes that these educators are taking these steps to secure a brighter future, not only for their current students but for those who will come later.”

“We agree with the educators of Carmen. The best way to take care of the students is to make sure the teachers have everything they need to do their job,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Steve Galloway. “An IAM contract that outlines items like equity, pay and workload rules is going to benefit everyone in the Milwaukee community. We are proud of this group for going above and beyond to take care of the children in their care by joining the Machinists Union.”

To learn more information about this organizing campaign and support their effort, you can log onto carmenworkerscollective.org.

The post Milwaukee Carmen School of Science and Technology Educators On the Path to the IAM appeared first on IAMAW.

Double Initiation Fee Resolution: Refund Information

Brothers and Sisters,

Due to an unfortunate error in payroll processing, 991 of you had an extra $50.00 deducted from your paycheck as an initiation fee. When this error was discovered, Local S6 Leadership immediately jumped into action to determine the cause and find a resolution. Please see below:

  • As such, a refund of this error will be refunded to the impacted populations 1/9/22 paycheck.
  • We have confirmed the error and deductions of that nature shouldn’t happen again in the future.

We thank you all for your patience as we resolved this matter. Thank You.

In Solidarity,

Local S6 Leadership

IAM District 160 Wins Organizing Campaign for Educational Equity Workers

Adapted from our Brothers and Sisters at IAM District 160.

Approximately 116 employees at non-profit Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE) voted overwhelmingly to join IAM District 160. The year-long organizing victory overcame many obstacles, including various attempts by management to negatively influence union supporters, and being completely virtual at every step of the process.

“So many of us poured many of our hopes, concerns, and aspirations for a more equitable workplace into this movement,” shared one bargaining unit member of LEE staff. “Each and every one of us felt some level of vulnerability throughout this process, but we are so glad it has paid off. We’re excited about the work to come. We know we’ve only just begun.”

“We whole-heartedly support our LEE non-profit brothers, sisters, and siblings in their desire to unionize,” said District 160 Acting Directing Business Representative Bonnie Kosten. “LEE employees’ commitment to strengthening their workplace by joining together with their colleagues is impressive, and we are so excited they have decided to organize with us!” 

“I want to welcome the LEE employees into our Machinists family,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen. “Their organizing campaign was unique and special in so many ways. The fact they never wavered in their conviction to join the IAM says a lot about their fortitude and courage. I thank and congratulate District 160 Acting Directing Business Representative Bonnie Kosten, GLR Joe Solis and Organizer Melisa Demyan and all those involved at District 160 for making this organizing drive a success.”

Leadership for Educational Equity is a national nonprofit leadership development organization inspiring and supporting a network of civic leaders to end the injustice of educational inequity. LEE employs over 100 non-supervisory employees who work to advance LEE’s mission of inspiring and supporting a diverse, enduring movement of leaders to engage civically within their communities to end the injustice of educational inequity.

The post IAM District 160 Wins Organizing Campaign for Educational Equity Workers appeared first on IAMAW.

District 26 Members at Pratt and Whitney Prepare for Contract Negotiations at Winpisinger Center

Negotiating committee members from IAM District 26 (Locals 700 and 1746) recently came together at the William W. Winpisinger Center in Hollywood, MD in preparation for upcoming contract negotiations with Pratt and Whitney.

Representing nearly 3,000 members at facilities in Middletown and East Hartford, CT, these IAM members produce and maintain jet aircraft engines for military and commercial jets such as the Boeing KC-46 air refueling tanker and the Airbus A320.

The IAM’s week-long Negotiation Preparation focused on helping officers and the negotiating committee with team dynamics, drafting contract language, the law related to collective bargaining, health care, pensions and retirement security. They also focused on member mobilization, communication and strategic planning.

“Coming to the Winpisinger Center to work in this environment where the team can focus on developing the knowledge and skills to bring our members a strong agreement is crucial,” said Jeff Santini, District 26 Assistant Directing Business Representative.

The Winpisinger Center works with several departments at IAM Headquarters, including Strategic Resources, Legal and Communications, to amplify the importance of roles for the members, stewards and negotiating committees.

The IAM Aerospace Department set this course up before year’s end so that the committee would be ready and focused on the next steps at the start of 2022.

“Congratulations to the negotiating committees of IAM Locals 700 and 1746 on completing this important step in the Machinists Union’s collective bargaining process,” said Eastern Territory General Vice President Brian Bryant. “The Negotiation Prep program continues to be one of our union’s critically important programs. The tools learned throughout the week will go a long way towards ensuring a strong and effective contract at Pratt and Whitney in Connecticut.”

The current agreement is set to expire on May 1, 2022.

The post District 26 Members at Pratt and Whitney Prepare for Contract Negotiations at Winpisinger Center appeared first on IAMAW.

We Pledge to Protect Our Democracy

Sisters and Brothers,

One year ago, we watched as violence overtook the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop our nation’s sacred tradition of a peaceful transfer of power. Everyday citizens, first responders and elected officials were put in harm’s way. It was an image many of us never thought we would see in the United States of America.

As a U.S. Navy veteran, like so many others who served our country, it was especially disturbing to see our democracy under attack. What happened that day was an affront to everything we stand for as a nation and as a union. While we encourage passionate debate and the right to disagree with one another, violence and hate are never the answer.

We must never forget this day. We must always protect our freedom and our democracy. Let’s move forward to protect the rights of all citizens and our sacred duty to make our voices heard at the ballot box instead of through violence.

In solidarity,

 

Robert Martinez Jr.
International President

The post We Pledge to Protect Our Democracy appeared first on IAMAW.